Various procedures for preparing deep-frozen ready-made foods are known in the art. For instance, the reference FI 76676 discloses a method for preparing a deep-frozen fish product, wherein a deep-frozen piece of fish is first coated with dough, rolled in egg and bread crumbs a first time, submerged in liquid food fat, and rolled in egg and bread crumbs once more before being deep frozen.
In GB 1,448,495 a procedure is disclosed for applying a seasoned gravy formulation on frozen food products. In said procedure, the foodstuff is frozen and upon the frozen foodstuff, the ready-made gravy is applied in the form of an aqueous suspension. Hydro-colloid gravy having a certain viscosity is used in this procedure.
The reference U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,340 describes the preparation of dough-enclosed frozen products. In this procedure the foodstuffs are portioned, coated with dough, and the dough is allowed to form a matrix of protein and starch, which protects the foodstuff.
In reference SE 374 995 a method is disclosed for producing a frozen foodstuff, wherein a gravy containing fat is sprayed on the foodstuff, frozen or at room temperature, whereupon the product is frozen.
The problem with procedures known in the art is that the fats and oils used to coat the foodstuff are in spite of deep freezing subject to oxidation and give the product an unsatisfactory flavour.
A further problem with previously known procedures is that in spite of the methods employed, liquid will evaporate from the deep-frozen foodstuff; so-called deep-freeze drying takes place.
Moreover, fats and oils render the surface of the foodstuffs sticky and awkward to handle, whereby their packaging e.g. in bags becomes difficult. Furthermore, existing procedures are not usable on any and all types of foodstuff. Moreover, losses of liquid and of weight occur at deep freezing and in food preparing, and the flavour of the food will suffer.